118 
WAX. 
course of swarming, it is unnecessary to provide the 
honey and water, as they come laden with honey from 
the parent stock. Next, to form festoons and remain 
motionless twenty-four hours to concoct the wax, is 
not the way they generally manage affairs. They 
either swallow the honey before leaving home long 
enough to have the wax ready, or less time than 
twenty-four hours is needed to produce it. I have 
frequently found lumps, half the size of a pin’s head, 
attached to the branch of a tree where they had clus- 
tered, when they had not been there over twenty-five 
minutes. I have had occasion a few times to change 
the swarm to another tenement, an hour or two after 
being hived, and found places on the top nearly cov- 
ered with wax. How it was managed to see a bee quit 
the “ group,” is more than I can comprehend ; and then 
the tongue to be the only instrument used to mould 
the scale of wax, is another difficulty ; to witness the 
whole process minutely in this stage of comb-making 
has never been my good fortune, and I am sometimes 
inclined to doubt the success of others. I have had 
glass hives, and put swarms in them, and always found 
the first rudiments of comb so entirely covered with 
bees as to prevent my seeing anything. 
BEST TIME TO WITNESS COMB-MAKING. 
The only time when I have witnessed the process 
with any degree of satisfaction, is when the combs 
approach the glass, and but few bees in the way ; then, 
by watching patiently a few minutes, some part of the 
process may be seen. 
